Need a 300 f2.8 fast....

[Croasdail]

Okay - my beloved 300 2.8 L lost if AF motor and it gets to go back to mother ship for surgery. I had planned on buying the Sigma 120-300 as a backup anyway - days away from ordering when this happened. Since the Canon 300 is no longer under warrenty... I bought the lens used... I get to pay real dollars for its visit back to Canon. This puts a damper on the Sigma purchase. We are into the firsts weeks here for American football and I need to take some media shots for some schools. Are there any decent 300's I can look at now to backfill for this one? I found a used Tokina at a reasonable price but - it gets good ratings on Photozone.de but in searching the other sites I can't find anyone who will say anything nice about it. Any other options out there?

[velvetjones]

You've got plenty of time...NCAA football doesn't start until September this year. ;)

Who are you shooting for, if I may ask?

[Croasdail]

I live in the Raleigh area will be doing games for the three local majors, plus NCCU which is a local predominately black university..... very colorful and fun games to shoot. This will be my first year back doing football, had been doing the "other" field sports before this.

[condyk]

As a back up the Sigma 100-300 f4 might suit if you have a monopod/tripod style approach. Good price new, superb reviews, owners love it and rare on SH market so good resale value when you get the Canon back. Likes a TCon as well. Just a thought to save cash without losing too much quality ... hey, maybe you'll keep it :lol: Not 120-300mm class, but not much is!

[Cadwell]

There aren't many good 300mms without paying a kings ransom and good f/2.8 300mms are rarer than hen's teeth. In reality there's only the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM prime and the Sigma APO 120-300mm f/2.8EX zoom. The Tokina AF 300mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro is rumoured by some sites to be quite good... but I don't know anyone who owns one and I've never seen one; I'd be wary of it.

The choices get a little wider at f/4 with Sigma's good little APO 100-300mm f/4EX zoom and Canon's excellent EF 300mm f/4 IS USM.

Is there no possibility of you hiring a 300mm until your one returns from repair?

[Croasdail]

Thats an idea... in our area I am not aware of anyone who carries, less alone rents equipment like this. I will look in the other near by cities and see what they have. I will be in NYC on thursday and well see what a 3 week rental (hire) there would cost. Looking on the web I saw a place in Texas that had them for $40 US a day.... doing the math x 21 days assuming I get the lens back when they say I will, and were at $840 US. For preseason workout shots.. thats a little tough to justify - and more then I can pick up 100-300 sigma or a 300 f4 canon L ... soooo I need to find something a little more economical to hire or it works out better to buy. Good thing is all these shoots will be daytime so buying an f4 may do. By the way - looked at the MTF on the Sigma - talk about flat response curve - very impressive. Thanks and Cheers.

[cmM]

how about a 300 f/4 IS ?

[Croasdail]

I have been looking at those as well... and considering it more each day. Seems as though you can pick these up used very economically. Thanks for the idea.

[cmM]

if you want low price, you can pick up a used non IS one for even cheaper.

[Croasdail]

So here is how this whole saga is ending.... got the estimate back on fixing the 300 and it is a whopper. As such I just ordered a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 as a backup lens from Sigma4less. I may end up abandoning the 300 L and move up to a 400 2.8 L in the spring. I will hopefully be able to get by with the sigma until then. Thanks all for your advice and help.

[grego]

Sigma has a nice 300mm f/2.8 Prime. Very fast lens. I liked it in my limited us of it on a Nikon D1H though. I would think the Canon version equals the Nikon one though.

[Croasdail]

I looked at it... there is one on eBAY going with both 1.4 and 2.0 TCs that I was tempted by.. but I thought having a moderately long zoom would fit nice and that way when I go and buy the replacement for the dead 300 L which will be a 400 L, I won't have to explain that I have one of those already.... my wife doesn't quit appreciate the need for "L" yet.